Susan Broman (BS '75, Psychology; MA '76, Counseling Psychology) is director of the Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Great Start. Previously, she served as president of the Steelcase Foundation, which focuses on human services, health, education, community development, the arts and environment. Broman is chair of the Kent County Family Children Coordinating Council and former chair of the Council on Michigan Foundations’ “Early Matters” early childhood initiative.
John Cakmakci (BS '82, Political Science; MPA '85, Public Administration) was recently elected president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951. This is the largest single local labor union in the state.
James De Wald (BS '99, Physical Education; MA '01, Physical Education) is a PE teacher at Bingham Farms Elementary and Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Michigan.
Philip Heavilin II (BS '02, Elementary Education) is the assistant director for recruitment administration at Michigan State University College of Law, Career Services Office.
Dean Kruse (BA '05, English Secondary Education) shared a homecoming message worth passing along:
"I was homecoming king in 2004. I was so excited about the opportunity and was good friends with the queen which made it more special. When they gave us our novelty oversized $500.00 checks on the field, in joy I took a bite out of mine. Someone came rushing up and stopped me. They had accidentally given me the queen check and i had put large bite marks in it. Somewhere in the world there is a queens check with my teeth marks on it! "
Kurtis Pake (BS '03, Elementary Education) was recently named Assistant Principal at Vance Elementary School in Raleigh North Carolina. He earned his M.Ed. from East Carolina University and his MSA from North Carolina State University. Prior to his promotion he was working at Garner Magnet High School in Garner, NC where he served as American Idol season ten winner Scotty McCreery's pitching coach for four years.
David Tomko (BBA '81, General Business; MBA '87, Business Administration) has accepted a new position at Flagstar Bank as a senior vice president of business banking. He had previously served as a regional president for PNC Bank.
Chris Washebek (MA '07, Geography) recently accepted a new position as Manager of Company Channel Strategy & Analysis at U.S. Cellular in Chicago, Illinois.
Marcia Yost (Master of Music '86), acclaimed director of choral music at Goshen High School and a longtime local educator, is the new executive director of the Goshen College Music Center.
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